Baba Ghaniya (Kanhaiya) ji(1648 - 1718)

Bhai Ghanaiya ji or Bhai Kanhaiya ji was
founder of Sevapanthi or Addanshahi sect of the Sikhs. He was born in a Dhamman
Khatri family of Sodhara near Wazirabad in Sialkot District (Now in Pakistan). His father was a wealthy
trader, but he himself being of a religious bent of mind left home when still very young and
roamed about With sadhus and ascetics in search of spiritual peace. His quest ended as he met
Guru Tegh Bahadur 1621-75) and accepted initiation at his hands. Kanhaiya established a dharamsal
at Kavha village in the present Attock district of Pakistan. Which he turned into a preaching centre.
His special mission was selfless service of humanity with no distinction of nationality, caste or
creed. In 1705, he was on a visit to Anandpur when Anandpur was invested by a combination of hill
troops and the Mughal imperial army. During the frequent sallies and skirmishes, Bhai
Kanhaiya used to roam around serving water to the wounded and the dying without distinction of
friend and foe. Some Sikhs complained to Guru Gobind Singh that Kanhaiya had been
resuscitating the fallen enemy soldiers. As Guru Gobind Singh summoned Bhat Kanhaiya and
told him What the Sikhs had said, he spoke, "Yes, my Lord, what they said is true in a sense,
but I saw no Mughals or Sikhs in the battlefield. I only saw the Guru's face in everyone. "
The Guru, pleased with the reply, blessed him and told his Sikhs that Kanhaiya had understood his
teaching correctly. Guru also give him medicine to be put on the wounds of fallen soldiers(Sikhs and Enemies).

After evacuation of Anandpur,
Bhai Kanhaiya retired to Sodhara where he died in 1718.
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